Richmond: 15 people displaced after fire destroys home

RICHMOND--More than a dozen people were displaced Saturday and two were taken to the hospital after an early morning fire ripped through a home in the 400 block of B Street in Richmond.

The fire was reported at 5:50 a.m. and it took firefighters close to two hours to extinguish the blaze. One person was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, while another suffered an ankle injury while fleeing the home, according to Battalion Chief Merlin Turner. A pitbull also received third-degree burns.

Fifteen people lived in the three-bedroom home, which had been altered to accommodate all the tenants.

The fire completely destroyed the home. The cause is still under investigation, but may be linked to a candle in one of the bedrooms, according to Richmond police. Red Cross assisted with vouchers for hotels, food and clothing.